Protection against falling objects

Safety Guards — An overhead guard must be used as protection against falling objects such as small packages, boxes, etc. It is not meant, however, to withstand the impact of a faUing capacity load. 

Class B now Class E Choose Class B helmets if employees are engaged in electrical work. They protect against falling objects and high-voltage shocks and bums. 

Class C now Class C Designed for comfort, these lightweight helmets offer limited protection. They protect workers from bumping against fixed objects but do not protect against falling objects or electric shock. 

Includes industrial safety helmets to protect against falling objects or impact with fixed... 

Sprockets and chains shall be enclosed unless they are more than 7 feet above the floor or work station. Where the drive extends over other work areas, protection against falling objects shall be provided. 

Class A hats protect against falling objects and 2,200 volts of electricity for one minute. 

Class C hats protect against falling objects but offer no electrical protection. 

Head protection is required against falling objects but also serves against heat, chemical splashes, or entanglement of hair in machinery. The appropriate standard is BS EN 397 (1995). 

Excessive flexibility, insufficient anchorage against lateral movements, lack of protection from falling objects. 

Safety shoes protect the feet against falling objects. 

In selecting head protection, the hazard(s) must be correctly identified. Head protection may be required against falling objects, impact, sideways crush, chemical splash, excessive heat or contact with hot surfaces. There may be a requirement also to protect the face and neck, as well as attachments for other forms of equipment, e.g. face shields. The compatibility of the head protector with other protective equipment, e.g. face mask, must be considered in the initial selection. There are basically two types of head protector ... 

Protection to be worn at all times unless there is no risk from falling objects or possibility of hitting the head against something... 

Aim to protect the health and safety of everyone m the workplace and ensure that adequate welfare facilities are provided. Covers e.g. general ventilation, temperature m indoor workplaces, lighting, cleanliness, space requirements, condition of floors and traffic routes, measures against falls/fallmg objects, washing facilities. 

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, employers must provide free of charge any PPE and employees must make full and proper use of it. Safety signs such as those shown at Fig. 1.5 are useful reminders of the type of PPE to be used in a particular area. The vulnerable parts of the body which may need protection are the head, eyes, ears, lungs, torso, hands and feet in addition, protection from falls may need to be considered. Objects falling from a height present the major hazard against which head protection is provided. Other hazards include striking... 

Boots or shoes with in-built toe-caps can give protection against impact or falling objects and, when fitted with a mild steel sole plate, can also provide protection from sharp objects penetrating through the sole. Special slip-resistant soles can also be provided for employees working in wet areas. 

Devices used to protect the head from injury. These include safety helmets or hard hats that are primarily used to protect the head from falling objects or overhead hazards industrial scalp protectors such as bump caps that protect against striking fixed objects, scalping, or entanglement and caps and hair nets, which are used to prevent the hair from coming in contact with moving machinery or the parts of machinery. 

Soft caps of plastic or leather give protection against chemical splashes, especially when working with overhead pipes, tanks, heat exchangers, and other equipment which may leak. Reinforced hats of metal, laminated plastics, or other materials resistant to impact from falling objects should be worn when overhead work is performed (a properly fitting hat gives maximum protection). 

The falling object protection rules require you to take measures to protect employees exposed to falling object hazards. Although the fall protection rule doesn t mention hard hats, they are the nrunber one defense against overhead hazards, including falling objects. However, just as in the scaffold rule, you must use hard hats and an additional method of protection described in the regulations. 

Hard hats are the number one defense against overhead hazards including falling objects. However, hard hats are not enough. An additional method of protection, described in this tool-box talk, must be used when there are employees working or walking below. 

Employers must provide head protection for employees if objects might fall from above and strike them on the head, if they might bump their heads against fixed objects such as exposed pipes or beams, or if they work near exposed electrical conductors. In general, protective helmets, or hard hats, should... 

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